High-Performance Computing Tracking Earth’s Most Massive Ice Shelves

Scientists are using High-Performance Computing to track the rate of ice sheet melting.

One of the most visible effects of climate change, the melting of glaciers, impacts the environment, tourism, hydropower potential, and can also cause natural hazards like landslides or destructive flows of debris.

With the current melting rates that the planet’s ice is experiencing, it might not be long before we reach the tipping point–where the effects can’t possibly be reversed.

“Models are testbeds for all sorts of questions, and PISM is what we call a numerical model,” said Andy Aschwanden, Research Assistant Professor at UAF.

“We take our best understanding of the physical processes of the real world, in this case ice sheets, and frame that in the language of mathematics. Then we teach the computer how to come up with solutions to ‘what if’ questions about the processes that this model represents.”

Earth Threatened by its Melting Glaciers

East Antarctica is the world’s largest ice sheet, roughly the size of the U.S. Until recently, the glaciers of East Antarctica, unlike those of the 10-times smaller West Antarctica, were thought to be more stable, because they’re isolated and very cold.

However, a new study by an international group of climatologists suggests otherwise.

It turns out that Totten, the largest glacier in East Antarctica, is melting and retreating at an alarming rate. This glacier alone threatens to raise sea levels.